Philosopher's Exercise

Rebe Descartes (1596-1650)

Descartes birth place was France in 1596 and inherited enough resources from his father to finance his intellectual pursuits and travel. He studied mathematics and humanities and also had a talent in philosophy, physics, and physiology. He had a poor health and hence excused from the morning religious services that accorded him the opportunity to have creative thinking. He completed formal education and moved to Paris where he devoted to the study of mathematics. He had an interest in applying scientific knowledge to the practical concerns of life. Descartes made contributions in mathematics and philosophy that led to his fame and also several writings about the two disciplines (Schultz & Schultz, 2012).

Effect of Descartes works to later psychology theories and theorists

Descartes helped to develop modern psychology in his attempt to resolve the mind-body problem which was controversial for many years. Different scholars argued about how to distinguish the mind and the mental qualities of the body and its physical qualities. Many scholars took a dualist approach and argued that the mind and the body have different natures that raise other questions about their existence. The accepted theory explained that the interaction between the mind and the body had one direction. The mind had a significant influence on the body, but the body had a little effect on the mind. Descartes explains about the mind, and the body as having different essences. The description of the mind-body interaction places the mind as an influence on the body. On the contrary, the body exerts a greater influence on the mind. The idea has great implications for psychology. However, some contemporaries did not support the conventional idea of the mind being the master of the two. The scientists and philosophers accorded great importance to the physical body. They claimed that the mind was responsible for thought and other functions which Descartes disputed by explaining that it had only the function of thought. Thus, Descartes introduced the mind-body solution focusing attention to the physical-psychological duality. Scholars started the scientific study of the mind shifting from subjective metaphysical analysis to objective observation and experimentation (Schultz & Schultz, 2012).

Descartes also contributed to the understanding of the nature of the body. He argued that the body has physical matter and possess the characteristics that are common to all matter. Since the body is a form of matter, the laws of physics and mechanics regarding movement and action have to apply to the body. The body operates like a machine whose functioning can be similar to the mechanical laws of physics. Descartes developed the reflex action theory which led to the development of modern behavioral stimulus-response psychology. The modern psychology explains that an external object brings about an involuntary response similar to the behavior of the body. Reflexive behavior does not entail thought or cognitive process and appears to be automatic. Descartes supported the work of science in the belief that human behavior is predictable. The body operates in ways that are anticipatory in nature as long as there are known inputs. His ideas on the mechanical interpretation of the work of the human body were confirmed by the uncovering of the basic ideas about blood circulation. Other physiologists studied the digestive processes and also determined the functioning of the muscles of the body. The contributions made by Descartes in understanding the nature of the body were helpful in describing the roles and processes of the human body. The researchers made inaccurate and incomplete findings, but the emphasis lies in the contribution of Descartes work to modern philosophy (Schultz & Schultz, 2012).

Descartes also explained the mind-body interaction by use of the principles of mechanics. He stated that the mind lacks physical substance but has the ability of thought and other cognitive processes. It provides human beings with information regarding the external world. The mind can think which differentiates it from the material world. The fact that the mind perceives and wills, it influences and can also be influenced by the body. The mind also interprets the sensory data and determines the appropriate response to take upon the stimulation of the body. According to Descartes, the mind was the central point for the functions of the mind. He chose the pineal body as the logical site of interaction (Schultz & Schultz, 2012).

Descartes also suggested the doctrine of ideas that had a significant influence on the development of modern psychology. His suggestions led to the understanding that the mind has both derived and innate ideas. Derived ideas arise from the direct application of an external stimulus, and the innate ideas arise from the objects in the external world but develop out of the mind. Descartes identified some innate ideas as God, the self, perfection, and infinity (Schultz & Schultz, 2012).

Conclusion

Descartes work served as a catalyst to the developed many of the concepts in the new psychology that led to the development of several theories and doctrines. Descartes was among the many scholars whose creativity was significant in shaping the history of modern psychology. He was a French mathematician and philosopher whose work helped to alienate scientific inquiry from the control of rigid, old, theological ad intellectual beliefs. He was a symbol of transition to the modern era of science and applied the idea of clockwork mechanism to the human body.

Reference

Schultz, D. P., & Schultz, S. E. (2012). A history of modern psychology (10th ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Press. "Chapter 2: Philosophical Influences on Psychology."

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